1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to tubular bag-type packings and, in particular, it relates to so-called three-sided pouches formed from a sealable foil and comprising two longitudinally extending tubular chambers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Such three-sided pouches of the afore-mentioned type are molded to form two longitudinally extending tubular chambers extending parallel to each other and having opposite ends. A longitudinally extending sealing seam separates and closes the tubular chambers in the longitudinal extension. Transversely extending sealing seams close the opposite ends of the tubular chambers. Three-sided pouches of the afore-described type have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,501. This patent describes also a mashine and method of making such three-sided pouches. Such three-sided pouches with two chambers extending parallel to each other are destined for to enclose two different mediums within the two chambers, for example milk and sugar, different salad dressings, tomato ketchup and mustard or also different chemical components, etc. In order to enable such dispenser pouches in general to be easily and faultlessly opened it is well known to provide such dispenser pouches with tearing aids as described for instance in U.S. Des. Pat. No. 386,398 and also in U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,364. These tearing aids are arranged just beneath one of the transversely extending sealing seams, and within a widened portion at one end or both ends of the transversely extending sealing seam. As to the three-sided pouches disclosed in the aford-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,501 no such tearing aids are provided, but it would be no problem to provide such tearing aids also at the outer margins of every chamber of such double chambered three-sided pouches. This would have the disadvantage, that both chambers must be opened separately and that it would not be possible to squeeze out centrally both components out of the two chambers.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and improved double-chambered three-sided pouch, wherein both chambers can be opened together at the same time and that both components flow together and will be mixed to a certain degree during squeezing out.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved double-chambered three-sided pouch, wherein the chambers can be separated without problems along the longitudinally extending sealing seam between the two chambers.
The foregoing and other objects are attained in accordance with one aspect of the present invention by providing of a double three-sided pouch with two chambers, wherein one of the transversely extenting sealing seams has a widened portion straddling the longitudinally extending sealing seam and extending to both tubular chambers, and within the widened portion has a tearing aid effective for both chambers.
This configuration makes it possible, after bending the longitudinally extending sealing seam and folding together the two chambers of the pouch, to tear open the two chambers simultaneously, since there is only one tearing aid for and between both chambers.
Besides this, the sealing tool for producing the transversely extending sealing seam inclusive the widened portion needs only one element for the attachment of the tearing aid. Furthermore this facilitates the bending of the longitudinally extending sealing seam and also the folding of the two chambers together and further, if wanted, to separate the two three-sided sealed chambers of the pouch before tearing off.